Finding Adulthood
by SideburnedTool
Summary: Rin and Shippo are finding themselves getting older, their bodies are changing. Slowly entering adolescence they are frustrated with how others in their lives still treat them like children. Now they are off to discover the world, and eachother.
1. Chapter 1

A gloomy morning. Another one. Rin did her best to wipe the sleep from her eyes. It had already been weeks since her lord had left her in this village alone. Well not entirely. Jakken the seemingly ever present minion and assistant to Sesshomaru was there. It was hard for her not wonder if she had been set here permanently. Perhaps she had been abandoned once again, left to fend for herself in a world that cared very little. The thought never sat right with her. Why would he take her along all this way, all this time just to leave her here?

It wasn't the only thing that bothered her. She felt sick today. In a way that felt foreign to her. She woke up tired and in pain. Her back screamed in protest with every movement and her insides felt twisted and tangled. Try as she might she couldn't ignore it. Everything, even breathing seemed to only inspire tears. Looking out from the room she could see it all. The distant looming mountains that dared to reach the sky. The farmers who already started their day tending the terraces that littered the rolling hills. It was vexing. Sure the life she led now was far from comfortable but it was also far from common. Since being rescued all those years ago she would never again have to worry about her future, it all seemed so clear until now.

"Ah, I see you're already awake, would you like something to eat?" A shrill voice came from behind her. Without turning around she knew who he was. It was Jakken. She tried not to look at him too much. His face reminded her of leather that spent too long in the sun. Rough and weathered and green. Nothing really about him sat right with her. His large toad-like eyes, his gnarled tree root fingers, his height. Most of all his voice.

"No thank you Mister Jakken," back still to him "I'm afraid I have no appetite this morning."

"Suit yourself girl, but sooner or later you must eat" He was winding himself up now. "For as we both know, Lord Sesshomaru has left you in my care. And I'd rather much not like to think what he would do with me if something were to happen to you." Jakken had grown fondly of reminding her that. That he was trusted with keeping safe and tended to. She hated that. She didn't need him really. She was the one who went into the village, bought the food, got the room in the inn. Jakken could not lest he be found tied to a tree by his scrawny green neck. She let that thought play around in her head for awhile, stifling a smile.

"I'll be sure to eat later Mister Jakken, I promise." She feigned as much sincerity as she could muster. Food had been the farthest thing from her mind. She felt tight and constricted. Every movement now was a trial. But staying in Jakken's company, that was impossible. She slipped into her sandals and began making her way towards the room's exit. "I'll be out in the village for a little while, I'll come back with something for us to share okay?"

"Just be sure you are careful, I wouldn't like to think about what Lord Sesshomaru would do to me-" he paused "I mean to say these villagers if you were to come to any harm." He cleared his throat and rested in the corner of the room. His pale yellow eyes following her as she left.

Despite her condition Rin found herself in rather high spirits. The villagers here fell in love with her the day she arrived. Offering her food and shelter and new clothes. Today was no different, merely walking along the few paths that connected the hamlet she was greeted with open arms. A few of the local children beckoned her to come play, instead she waved and kept going promising some other day. Continuing on to her new favourite place to rest, a maple tree by a river. It was nice to be alone.

She sat there, watching the day pass her by. On occasion the sun would attempt to break out into the free. Showering light through the overcast canopy with golden rays. It was nice to feel the warmth wash over her. It brought her back to days on the road. The endless adventures she would have following her saviour, taking joy in merely being in his presence. At a time he could do no wrong. Simply the act of sparing her that fateful night was enough for her. Now, it wasn't so certain. He had left her more and more frequently. Always returning for a time. but like the wind would vanish once again. Leaving her alone, and afraid. Again.

It was hard not to resent him now. Her reminiscing was broken by an impulse to retch. Her gut was twisting and turning lashing out. She emptied her stomach a few times behind the tree, wiping the remnants off her lips with her sleeve. Discomfort overtook her and before she knew it she was wet. Not with sweat nor with bile. Terrified she lowered a hand into her small-clothes. Something warm and wet greeted her hand. Swiftly she raised it to her face. She couldn't believe her eyes.

It was blood.


	2. Chapter 2

Shippo sat on a rock, biting his lip. They'd done it again. They all left him alone. No one was there to greet him this morning, save Kirara and a note.

"Shippo: Caught wind of a jewel shard, will return in the evening." He read it over again and again. Wondering if Kagome taught him to read just so he could be quietly left behind more and more.

"The whole thing sucks Kirara," he started. Kirara cooed preparing herself for Shippo's morning rant. "Every time they get close to a jewel shard they just leave me here, behind. Like I don't matter, like I don't contribute." His voice was raising as he continued. "I'm nearly a man now damn it. I can hold my own in a fight. They keep treating me like a little kid. I hate it." Kirara let out a sigh. Seemed nearly every day Shippo would be irritated about something. Sometimes it would be about Inu Yasha teasing him or Kagome and Sango fussing over him, however what really ate him was being left.

He stared out into an overcast morning. The air was still, not even birds were singing feeding his loneliness. "I just want a chance Kirara, just a way to show them I'm not a useless kid." He jumped up from his perch. Looking out into the distance, the forest stared back. There was nothing left to do but wait. Wait for them to return. Wait for them to share their adventures. Wait. Wanderlust began to pick away ate him tearing a hole in his stomach. Then, inspiration struck him. "Hey, what if we went out Kirara? Ya' know, look for a jewel shard ourselves?" Kirara cocked her head in a curious fashion. "Hear me out okay? Why can't we go searching for one? I mean, sure we can't sense them like Kagome, but like. We can still go out and look right?" A smirk was inching its way across his face. "Beats sitting here right?"

He started straightening himself out. Stretching his legs, and his arms. Preparing himself. "Yeah, we're doing it Kirara. We're going out to show them why they shouldn't leave us." a confidence possessed him. The idea was sounding better and better as time went on. He jolted over to the tiny cat. "C'mon, get up and transform!" He couldn't help but nudge her, a light hiss was her retort. "Doesn't it bother you? Left behind to what? Babysit me? C'mon, I'll make sure we pick up something nice to eat." Food was a good motivator, well trained or not, Kirara was still an animal. Near immediately at the mention of food Kirara burst into flames growing dramatically in size.

"That's the ticket Kirara!" He hopped on her back. "Let's go." They sharply ascended. The earth getting further and further away. She shot him a quizzical look followed by a grunt. "What do you mean which way? How would I know?" He looked out to the open sky. "Well which way did they go?" bitterness seeping through. Kirara shook her head eastward. "Alright then, west it is!" and like a shot they went off. Wind blasting through his hair.

Everything below them was rushing by. Trees, lakes and rivers. The promise of adventure was intoxicating he couldn't help himself, a large pointy grin was painted on his face. "Just think about what would happen if we found one. How stupid are they going to feel?" the thought of his companions dumbstruck was all too amusing. Kagome and Sango would probably be angry but quietly proud. Inu Yasha would be furious, would probably try to play it off like it's no big deal. "I can just hear him now Kirara, 'Oh look, the shrimp found himself a shard. What did you do? Nick it off some kid?' He'll look so stupid." he giggled to himself. "We'll show them to treat us like kids."

Hours passed and they came across nothing. No signs of life anywhere. "Geez, I didn't think we were so far out in the middle of nowhere. Maybe we should turn back." Kirara kept quiet. "No you're right! We can't give up now can we? Let's keep going on for a little while." Sleepiness was starting to settle in. His eyes growing heavy, he couldn't fight it off much longer. "I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up if you find something okay?"

Shippo slipped slowly to sleep. He was taller, big. A man fully grown. He stood as a proud warrior. He liked this dream, here he was no longer a meek little sprite but an all powerful demon capable of defending himself and others. He looked at his his strong muscled hands, grinning. Of in the distance of the verdant dreamscape he heard a noise. twigs and leaves were being disturbed and trampled, something big was drawing near. Birds fled their perches and the being appeared in the clear meadow. It was a shadowy thing, standing much taller than even the fox demon. It bellowed out an air cracking roar and rushed towards him it's amber eyes burning with wrath. Shippo was not afraid, he concentrated for a moment and produced a blazing blue orb in his left palm swirling it a bit, feeding it more magic. He raised his arcane weapon, prepared to draw first blood.

A sharp change in direction awoke him. There was a clamoring below, a village of towns people chasing what looked like a small girl. "What's going on?" Shippo asked battling out the last bit of sleep from his eyes. From up here he could see the mob slowly gaining on the girl as she made her way to a river, holding something in her hands. "Whatever is happening, we should investigate. Kirara bring us down." The cat cooed in response and prepared for their descent.


	3. Chapter 3

It was a stupid move in retrospect, but that's desperation for you. Rin ran as quickly as her legs could take her. Cursing her rotten luck in between breaths. How couldn't she have seen those two old crones by the laundry? Or the fishermen within ear shot when they cried thief? She looked down at her burden, a bundle of thick rough cloth. She just wanted to stop the bleeding, it was too much. Rin continued to run cursing her shitty luck and her shitty body and her shitty dead parents. _If they were still alive, _She caught herself thinking for the first time in a while.

"You can't run forever bitch!" Called one hoarse voice. She looked behind and didn't remember them being so close, didn't remember them being so many. The muddy and sun baked villagers rushed closing the gap. All sneers and ugly faces some hefting weapons some with farm equipment both equally menacing to the unarmed girl.

"Stop that thief!" Another cried out, the men ahead snapping to attention. She was really at a loss as to how this could have gotten worse, and then the cramps started. Sore and seemingly doomed Rin stopped resigning herself to her fate. Why didn't she just ask for the clothes? Or for some assistance, they seemed friendly enough. Hell why hadn't she asked one of them just what was wrong with her. If she made it out of this, she decided that she would put more thought into her actions. Hadn't that always been her problem? Just jumping headlong with no thought on the consequences? It seemed a strange thing to her, getting all introspective when it was far to late to make good on past ills. When the men caught up with her they quickly formed a ring around. No way out now, not that she was in the mood to run anymore.

"Got no way to run now eh girl?" Said one particularly ugly mad all pock marks and missing teeth. He had a mad sort of look to him that didn't give her the most confidence, that and the spear in his hand pointed straight at her. He licked his cracked lips as he stepped closer. "You won't like what we do with outsiders, 'specially not thieves." He chuckled as he made a pulling movement towards his groin.

"No need for that Jin, by the gods she's younger than your daughter." Said another no less hideous man shooting the first a disapproving look. "We'll just get back them clothes, rough her up a bit and kick her out of town." He spat out the remaining words hands held fast around a cruel looking truncheon as he moved up with her.

"For pity sake are you two not men?" Shouted a bigger, stouter man so piggish Rin wouldn't have been shocked if he were sired by a boar. "She's just a girl! Get in there and knock her about!" He raised the club and prepped himself for a charge. _What an utterly stupid way to die _Rin thought closing her eyes and bracing herself for the ugliness to come.

There were screams, but they were surprisingly not her own. She cracked her eyes open and then quickly spread them wide. Blue flames lashed and danced though out the mob. The flaming snake broke the villagers, some running back to the river, some rolling in the earth and some of them just standing there frozen holding themselves in agony. Rin chuckled to herself in triumph_. The world has gone mad._ She didn't celebrate long however, having traded a cage of men for one more problematic, one of fire. Rin stood there mouth open at a loss of what to do now.

"Grab my hand!" A shrill voice pierced through the screams and agony of her pursuers seemingly from above. _A rain of fire? A voice from the sky? _She wondered. _What next? Am I to be some dragon's breakfast? Not outside of the realm of possibility given my luck. _Still she could see herself welcoming that scenario that standing here wait. She clenched her teeth, closed her eyes and reached for the sky. Trusting herself to whatever fate designed for her and felt the earth disappear beneath her.


End file.
